THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND
Country-rocker
Matt Woods is from Knoxville but practically has
dual citizenship here with how often he comes through. And though he may not have the most sizable following here, he has something that most buzz-bands-du-jour can’t claim: real
ride-or-die fans. His people are the kind who don’t just go to every one of his frequent shows but rack up ridiculous bar tabs buying an
elephant-killing amount of alcohol for themselves, their friends (the ones they came with and the new ones they just made that night) and the musicians. These folks are the pure lifeblood of live music whose red carpet has lifted acts like
Lucero and
American Aquarium to such prominence.
Woods’ stop this time was a relatively rare
full-band appearance with a quartet (May 1, Will’s Pub). Unsurprisingly, they brought lots of complementary atmosphere and horsepower to his blend of defiant spirit and traditional soul.
Indiana’s
Jeff Shepherd and his Jailhouse Poets bandmate
Marco Sassman opened by hitting that sweet
folk-punk spot between grit and heart. Even if their synchrony wasn’t always locked, they at least have the kind of
real country conviction where the banjo is a pillar, not an accessory.
With the exact same banjo-and-guitar setup, however, Gainesville’s
Big Shoals showed this arrangement’s capability for real
folk majesty. Even as just a string duo, they stroked fully, beautifully rendered sonic landscapes with their
cinematic brand of Americana. Theirs is an authentic vein that has seriousness of emotion, depth of soul and precision of melody. It’s the quintessence of
Southern grace, and it was the best surprise of the night.
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This Little Underground is Orlando Weekly’s music column providing perspective, live reviews and news on the city’s music scene.
Follow Bao on Twitter (@baolehuu)
Email Bao: baolehuu@orlandoweekly.com
This article appears in Apr 27 – May 3, 2016.
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